80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

Yesterday, Mike and John from Insider Tour, were invited to participate in a discussion with a former inmate and survivor of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Jerzy Zawadzki is one of five living witnesses to the horrors of this site. His family were involved in the Warsaw Uprising, and for that they spent two weeks cramed into a cattle wagon en route to Sachsenhausen. Jerzy was nine years old at the time. His father was murdered in the camp system. His mother gave birth to his sister in the system and they were reunited at the end of the war.
Jerzy told many anecdotes of the brutality and some acts of kindness he experienced during camp life. There was no hint of bitterness in his retelling of the facts. He is a great lover of folk songs from all countries and appealed to everyone in the room to reach out to their neighbours to undertsand them better.
 

Insider’s Educational Nr. 2 in 2025 - Berlin Archaeology and the Early Beginnings of Berlin

 

Early Settlement

Under the guidance of Insider Tour guide extraordinaire, Dr. Jamie Sewell, we took a fresh look at Berlin’s early years. Jamie is an archaeologist who has worked on the most prominent Berlin excavations since the 1990s. We learned how dendrochronology and C14 dating methods have shown that the area that is now Berlin was inhabited as early as 700 A.D.

Holy Ghost Kapelle

Where there is a river, there is a way of making money. Taxes were charged for passage, and soon the settlement grew to a considerable size for that time. We gained access to the interior of the Holy Ghost Kapelle, which is said to have the only remaining intact medieval roof/ceiling structure in Berlin!

St. Marien Church

At the St. Marien Church Jamie explained to us how, at the time of its construction around 1292, this was the highest point in Berlin! It has been through the mill with wars, fires, lightning strikes, and almost continual rebuilding and extension. It is open to the public.

 Berlin Town Hall

An excavation there in the 1990s uncovered some artworks deemed 'degenerate' by the Nazis. Behind this town hall are the ruins of the old town hall, where excavations revealed the strange case of a samurai sword found there. 

The Nickolai Church

The Nikolaikirche (Nikolaikirche Church) is made in part from granite stones moved to Berlin from Sweden by glaciers during the Ice Age. It is the centerpiece of the Nikolaiviertel, a beautiful reconstruction of old Berlin. The area has a village-like feel, with cobblestone streets, charming shops, and very traditional restaurants. 

PETRI Berlin

We were treated to a sneak peek inside PETRI Berlin, a purpose-built center showcasing Berlin’s archaeological journey. Built on the site of the former St. Petri Church, its glass floor and cellar walk-through of those very foundations truly give one the feeling of walking through times past. Jamie and his fellow archaeologist partner, Claudia, were instrumental in the excavation of this site in the 1990s and 2000s. It is due to open in August 2025.

 Layers upon Layers

Not only did we gain valuable insight into the origins of Berlin, but we also experienced the thrill of archaeology—uncovering new material to complete or disprove any given theory. We heard about those Eureka moments when historical stories get pieced together through hard-sought or even lucky finds. We had a brilliant time—half a day wasn’t enough!

Insider Educational Nr. 1 in 2025 - 'Abgeordnetenhaus' - Berlin's State Parliment

 
Parliment Building of the State of Berlin

What a pleasure to tour inside of one of Berlin's iconic buildings which, since 1899, has housed monarchies, fascist dictators, communist rulers and now, the democratically elected.

 

Plenary

The plenary sits 159 members, 125 seats for the public, 58 seats for journalists and sittings are live streamed. The parliment employs 17 stenographers who upload everything said during sittings to the house website. Note the Berlin bear flag, an original from 1945. Contrary to contemporary Berlin bear flags this one has no claws, teeth, tougue and crown - it has been de-mititarised!

Connecting Atrium

 

Gerhard Richter Paintings

 

Wolf Biermann, the Bob Dylan of the DDR, in their Hall Of Fame

Matthias Koppel's triptych

 

This is a stunning painting capturing the euphoria of the Fall of the Wall in 1989 and extends to events concerning the Reunification of Germany in 1990.

This is a fine building right beside the Martin Gropius Bau and the Topography of Terror. It has always played a role in the management, and mismanagement, of Berlin/Prussia through the ages. Insider guides have always spoken about it en route through historical Berlin. Anyone can enter during opening hours with a valid photo ID - once past the airport style security you can wander the very ornate public areas and even use their state subsidised canteen!